Bright Future
by Kirke
Summary: ZaphodArthur slash. Can be treated as a sequel to 'Souper'. The title says it all: Arthur, Zaphod and their Bright Future


**Title:** Bright Future

**Fandom:** _Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (the movie)_

**Characters/Pairing: **Arthur Dent (Arthur/Zaphod)

**Prompt:** She (2/100)

**Word Count: **887

**Rating: **PG

**Author's Notes: **Written for **fanfic100** Can be treated as a sequel to _Souper_, though you have only my word for that :P

He had fallen in love with her the moment his eyes had met her for the first time.

Sure, he had loved her before but that was quite an abstract kind of love. After all, despite the fact that he'd tried to visit her as often as possible, he'd never actually _seen_ her. Heck, he didn't even know that she was 'a she' until that memorable day twenty nine years ago. He remembered how, before she was born, he could spend long hour with her, sometimes alone but mostly with Zaphod, telling her about Earth, about his home or reading to her his favourite childhood stories.

The first time Arthur saw her he couldn't help himself, he started to cry. She was so perfect, so faultless and, in his eyes, nothing could match her beauty.

He had heard the line 'I've waited for you all my life' and always dismissed it as overly sappy and quite ridiculous but in that exact moment, when his eyes rested on that tiny, wrinkled body he knew that he was wrong and they were right. He had indeed waited for her all his life.

They had named her Betabia ('Beta for short, don't call me Bia!') or rather Zaphod had named her like that. They had established at the very beginning, after many futile and pointless fights over what name should be given to their firstborn, that Zaphod would name the girl, while Arthur would name the boy. Though Arthur had been quite terrified what kind of life would a girl named 'Aprahancia' or 'Fledrabflena' have, he had also known that some of his choices were unacceptable to Zaphod (he still didn't know what was wrong with Agatha and Monica but judging from Zaphod's reaction it was _big_) and that that was the only truce they could have come up with. Besides, when he had found out that in ancient Betelgeusian it meant 'bright future' all his doubts had vanished completely.

When she had been three years old they'd decided that it's time for another baby. They had decided that again, when she was nine, fifteen and twenty but those were all boys and thanks to this, she had always remained his little girl. Arthur knew that no parent should favour a child and he loved all of them equally but he also knew that every child should be loved in a different way and his love for her was just that: different from the love he had for the others.

Betelgeusians always had had large families, so five kids were no revelation, though it was just him and Zaphod on the 'parents' side. This lack had been fixed by the abundant amount of grandparents, mostly on Zaphod's part and the galactic president had even joked few times that having so many mothers had finally started to show benefits. His own parents, after a long struggle to accept the fact that their son not only married a man but an alien also and, as if it wasn't enough, a president of the galaxy with an IQ of a dead parrot, had finally came to accept it and it was mostly thanks to her. As it was said a long time ago, children were either good or bad but grandchildren were always remarkable.

He'd never forgotten that day when he had showed up on their doorstep, carrying his barely four months old daughter, praying silently for their acceptance. They could have screamed at him if they wanted, they could have called him names, they could have even insult Zaphod (not that the Betelgeusian cared) but she was his greatest treasure and he'd do everything to protect her, even if that had meant isolating her from his parents. His fears turned out to be exaggerated, as one look at her was enough for them to fell in love with her, just like it had been enough for him.

She had been growing and developing in front of his eyes and he watched as his little girl turned into a little lady and then into a true woman. She wasn't a beauty in a typical, fashion-magazine type of way but there was a certain attractiveness in her. She was proud but not in the arrogant manner, charismatic and had that type of magnetic personality, that seemed to be appealing to everyone around her. No doubt, those were the assets she had inherited after Zaphod but everything else was _his_. His brains, his wittiness, his way of drinking tea, his eyes and hair, his nose, his love for Earth, even his accent.

Oh, she had her faults and a temper that could match only a charging glafelpaheg… but these weren't the things he wanted to think about, not in a day like this.

His little girl was getting married to none other but Ford's son and while a part of him grieved the loss, other cheered and applauded, happy, that she found her happiness, just like he had found his all these years ago.

Much later, when the wedding party had relaxed and he lied in a large bed, pressed securely to the warm body of his husband, he finally voiced out what was on his mind for a along time.

"Zaphod" he whispered "I want another child but this time, I want a girl."


End file.
